GKS Experimental Batches – Last chance to vote!

Thanks to all of you who have tasted our two Experimental Batches of Great King Street – the snappily named 00-V4 (lightly sherried) and TR-06 (Smoky) – and let us know which you prefer. We shall be closing the GKS Experimental survey page  on Monday 27^th January so there is still time to pick up a bottle of each and give us your feedback.

We’ll reveal all the results in early February! And remember, we’ll use your views to help us decide the style of the second permanent Great King Street which we hope to release worldwide in autumn 2014

TOP PICKS

• Lot 40 2012 Release Canadian Rye Whiskey 750ml ($59.99)
  Voted Canadian Whiskey of the Year by the Whisky Advocate, Lot 40 is considered by many to be the quintessential Canadian rye whiskey, garnering heaps of praise and a cult-like following. Distilled by Hiram Walker, now run by Pernod Ricard, it was briefly discontinued in the early 2000s, which set off a Pappy-esque manhunt by consumers who knew of its excellence (not in CA, however, where we were deprived of its presence). Now that it’s been relaunched by Pernod, we’re lucky enough to start getting a healthy supply in the U.S. It’s clear after tasting it why the Lot 40 has the reputation it has. The flavors of rye are unbelievably pure, while the palate remains soft and creamy underneath. It moves from rye bread into a peppery note so intense that it almost transcends into sweet citrus before finishing rich and floral. It’s the most exciting rye we’ve seen hit the shelves in more than year. We think it’s going to be a HUGE hit. Esteeme d Canadian Whisky writer Davin de Kergommeaux calls it “a contemporary masterpiece, seven generations in the making. This is one powerfully flavorful whisky that boldly mingles the galvanizing piquancy of distilled rye grain with the soaring floral fragrance of malted rye, and a fruitiness that comes with age” We call it the best rye whiskey we’ve tasted since stalwarts like Sazerac 18 and older Willett bottles became dreams rather than reality. This is can’t-miss stuff. This is the kind of whiskey where you buy three bottles rather than one.

NEW ARRIVALS

Canada – Rye

• JP Wiser’s Blended Canadian Rye Whiskey 750ml – 12 available ($22.99)
• Pike Creek Port Finished Canadian Rye Whiskey 750ml ($32.99)
  Like the Lot 40, Pike Creek is made at the Hiram Walker disitllery in Canada, which is now run by Pernod Ricard. It’s rye whiskey finished in port barrels (we think around seven years of age), which adds a sweeter red fruited note to the classic peppery flavors of the whiskey. Colby (the PR subsidiary) has been legendary in Canada for decades. We’re now only getting a taste of what our northern neighbors have long known: Canadian rye whiskey is pretty dang delicious.

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Glendronach Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($89.99)
  Finally here! The long awaited full-proof edition of Glendronach’s special marriage has arrived. A combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks without age statement has been bottled at 55.2% alcohol for those sherry fans in search of more power in their whisky. The nose offers such a savory and spicy sherry character that it almost smells like rye whiskey, but it slowly cascades into a chocolate note. The palate offers the classic dried fruits and toasted almond character. A splash of water brings out the raisins and a hint of orange zest. A fabulously complex malt that is shocking less sweet than the standard 12 year. Completely in balance and absolutely not a sherry bomb or a new version of A’Bunadh. This whisky has its own unique profile entirely.

United States – Single Malt Scotch

• Charbay III Whiskey 750 – 5 available ($399.99)
  The magnificent Charbay Whiskey is back for round three. This legendary distillate is without a doubt one of the best American Whiskeys ever produced. It’s designated Hop-Flavored Whiskey because it was distilled with hoppy beer and for some reason hops are added after distillation as well. No one knows why, but all I can say is it’s the work of a mad genius. Anyone who dismisses this product because of this funny classification will loose my sympathy along with one of the best drinking experiences available. Totally unlike anything else on the market, the legend started with a tanker full of pilsner from the closed Sonoma Mountain Brewery, a beautiful alembic still, and a skilled distiller. 6 years in new, charred Missouri Oak and 8 further years in stainless steel and supernatural concoction was born. I mean this stuff was magnificent at 2 years old and to experience the progression of this whiskey throughout the years is mind blowing. A truly speci al and uniquely Californian whisky.

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com/
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

www.ralfy.com returns to an old familiar blended scotch with Whisky Review 424 – Teachers Highland Cream blended Scotch re-reviewed

The Macallan six litre decanter of ‘M’ produced by LALIQUE achieves a New World Record price at US$628,000 / GBP£381,620 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong  

Saturday 18^th January, Hong Kong: Today saw the sale of a stunning rare 6 litre “Imperiale” version of the highly sought after Macallan M – the world’s most sophisticated single malt whisky, contained within a beautifully designed and meticulously crafted crystal decanter, for US$628,000 / GBP£381,620 at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. 

M represents a masterpiece created from the collaboration between three masters of their crafts; Fabien Baron, Founder and Creative Director of Baron & Baron, Silvio Denz, President and CEO of LALIQUE and Bob Dalgarno, Whisky Maker at The Macallan. 

To celebrate the conception of M and its global launch in Hong Kong, four 6-litre Imperiale decanters were specially crafted by LALIQUE for The Macallan. These are the largest decanters ever made by LALIQUE.  Each decanter required the work of 17 craftsmen, including two with the prestigious title, “Meilleur Ouvrier de France”, with each taking over 50 hours to complete. 

Of the four, two will be archived by The Macallan and one has been committed to a private collector in Asia.  The fourth, Constantine (named, as are the other three, after Roman emperors), uniquely features the engraved autographs of the three principal creators – LALIQUE/Silvio Denz, Fabien Baron and Bob Dalgarno.  This highly collectable creation was made available as part of the Finest and Rarest Wines and The Macallan auction by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on Saturday, 18 January 2014. 

David Cox of The Macallan commented : We are absolutely delighted at the generosity of the successful bidder of the “M” 6L decanter Constantine in securing such a wonderful contribution to a number of Hong Kong charities and at the same time setting a new world record for The Macallan. It is testimony to the craft, quality and passion underpinning the creation of this great decanter.  It is a very proud moment for us”. 

The Macallan is one of the world’s most sought after and collectable whiskies, sitting at the top of the auction index for whiskies and holding the current Guinness World Record™ for the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction, in 2010 in New York, The Macallan 64 years old in LALIQUE Cire Perdue at US$460,000 / GBP£288,000. 

Silvio Denz of LALIQUE said, “This new world record at US$628,000 / GBP£381,620 highlights the uniqueness of the decanter and the remarkable quality of The Macallan single malt.  Its creation is a tremendous achievement due to the unprecedented size, weight and completely new shape.  After the Guinness World Record achieved by The Macallan in LALIQUE Cire Perdue in 2010 at Sotheby’s New York, this exceptional figure underscores the interest and value of such extraordinary decanters”. 

Robert Sleigh of Sotheby’s Hong Kong, “The Macallan M decanter 6 litre Imperiale brought global interest from bidders  who were attracted by the combination of the unique opportunity and exceptional quality bringing a new world record for single malt whisky as well as benefiting Hong Kong charities. 

All net sale proceeds will be donated to a host of local charities in Hong Kong.  

About The Macallan

Founded in 1824 in the heart of Speyside, The Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then it has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading single malt whiskies.  The creation of The Macallan draws on the vital contributing influences of Spain, North America and Scotland, and of their respective natural raw materials, combined with traditional methods and craftsmanship. From its founding, through the subsequent owners of The Macallan distillery in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and into the present century, The Macallan has been recognised for its outstanding quality above all else. 

About LALIQUE

LALIQUE is internationally recognized as the undisputed Master of crystal.  Representing the ultimate in artisanal skills, utmost precision and fundamental values, LALIQUE stands for luxury, excellence and creativity.  René Lalique, renowned as the inventor of modern jewelry, became Master in the art of glassmaking in 1907. Lalique earned his title, Sculpteur de Lumière, from the richly sculptural craftsmanship and dramatic contrasts between clear and frosted finishes that define his work.  Today, the LALIQUE company offers crystal collections across five categories:  decorative items, interior design, jewellery, perfumes, art. For more information, please visit http://www.lalique.com/.

Strathisla 1965 Rare Vintage / Gordon & MacPhail

Liquid Gold Award, 94.5 Points – Jim Murray’s 2014 Whisky Bible

Much of Strathisla’s production is used for blending, in brands such as Chivas Regal. When released as a single malt it’s usually exceptional and this rare bottling is no exception. Distilled in 1965 and aged in a first fill sherry butt, bottled by Gordon & MacPhail under their Rare Vintage series.

£305.00 (£254.17 ex vat)

Click here to buy Strathisla 1965 Gordon & MacPhail

2014 is off to a roaring start with the MS Calgary and Victoria Whisky Festivals already in the rear view mirror and our Annual Year-End Inventory Sale and Scots Wha Hae: Robbie Burns Supper dead ahead. Our Annual Sale is this weekend, in store and online only (sorry no phone orders). Save at least 15% on all wines and most whiskies, 5% on beers.

Saturday night is our 9th Annual Robbie Burns Supper, featuring whiskies from Duncan Taylor, one of Scotland’s finest independent bottlers. We’ll sample seven whiskies from 12-40 years of age including to future KWM casks. All while enjoying a lovely dinner and a wee bit of Scottish culture. Our guest of honour is Mr. Peter Currie, the first two time guest of honour in our Supper’s history. More details below.

Finally, there are some new whiskies in the store I’d like to briefly plug, and some other great tastings coming up, you’ll find those below as well.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market

PS- PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/scotch_guy and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1 .

Scots Wha Hae

$99.00

Caledonians Unite! It’s time to celebrate all things Scottish. Duncan Taylor are the featured producers for this 9th annual Robbie Burns Supper, and Peter Currie is our special guest. The first to host the event twice. We’ll have bagpipes, poetry, haggis with neeps and tatties and six amazing whiskies from Duncan Taylor, including some new exclusives KWM casks which aren’t even here yet!

The most fun you can have with your Sporan on!

Click Here For More Info

Annual Year End Sale!

Save 15% or more on all in-store wine, 15% or more on all in-store whisky* and 5% on all in store beer!
* Excluding Scotch Malt Whisky Society Whiskies

Scots Wha Hae!

Our 9th Annual Burns Supper – Saturday January 25, 2014 – $99

Caledonians Unite! It’s time to celebrate all things Scottish. Duncan Taylor are the featured producers for this 9th annual Robbie Burns Supper, and Peter Currie is our special guest. The first to host the event twice. Peter will do the honour of addressing the haggis, and will guide us through a range of 7 Scotch whiskies from 12 to 40 years of age. We’re featuring two new single casks selected by and bottled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market. Curious what they might be? You’ll have to join us to find out. There will also be bagpipes, poetry, wine with dinner and of course haggis with neeps and tatties! No previous whisky experience required. Location: Fort Calgary 750 9 Avenue, SE 7:00pm start time. Sat Jan 25

Call 403-283-8000 to buy a ticket or do so online at: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php  .

Registration closes Thursday January 23rd at 5PM. So don’t hesitate!

New Can’t Miss New Whiskies!

Some whisky news just can’t wait until the next Malt Messenger…
1. Beniach 2001 MS Society Cask 48043 – 54.1% – 12 Year – Bourbon Barrel – From the Distillery: “A classic Speysider – lightly sweet and frey fruity – predominantly pears and pineapple, with a core of delicate vanilla and soft honey.” $10/bottle To the MS Society, Exclusive to KWM in Southern Alberta. – $99.99
2. Compass Box Peat Monster 10th Anniversary – 48.9% – Peated Blended Malt – Released to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Compass Box’s best selling whisky, this edition of the Peat Monster. From the Producer: “For this special bottling, we have produced a special recipe of The Peat Monster, maintaining the smoky, heavy-peated intensity of the classic bottling and adding a bit more malty richness through the use of some very special, quite odd casks of peaty Highland single malt.” – John Glasser, Whisky Maker – Exclusive to KWM in Alberta! – $99.99
3. Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 3 – 54.9% – No Age Statement – Matured in PX and Oloroso Sherry casks – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Fantastic waves of soft golden syrup over dates and rum raisins hold a gentle tangerine and ground almond back note. Toasted oak with a dusting of cocoa adds a rich warmth and depth. Palate: Crisp barley and a fresh sawn oak spice burst through ripe plums and golden sultanas. A delicate note of dried apricots and candied peels adds a fantastic sweet, zesty balance. Subtle touches of milk chocolate soften the long expressive finish.Finish: A perfect harmony of classic Highland characters and elegant sherry influences.” – $83.99
4. Edradour 1999 Sherry Ibisco Decanter – 57.9% – 14 Year – Sherry Butt No. 230 – Yet another big and lovely Edradour single sherry cask. – $125.99
5. Signatory Bunnahabhain 1988 24 Year – 55.9% – 24 Year – Refill Sherry Butt 2800 – One of the finest Bunnahabhain’s I’ve tasted in a while. It’s just gotten here and is nearly sold out! – – Exclusive to KWM in Alberta! – $241.99
6. Signatory Caol Ila 1982 30 Year – 53.0% – 30 Year – Hogshead No. 6487 – A classic older Caol Ila, that only slightly mellowed, retaining the distillery’s classic smoky-salty-fishy character. – Exclusive to KWM in Alberta! – $311.99
7. Talisker 57 North – 57% – Named for the distillery’s latitude and alcohol strength. Tasting note to come! It is so rare that we see something interesting from Talisker in our market, and lets hope this is but the first of many to come. My preliminary tasting note, “YUM!”. – World Whisky Awards 2012 – Best Island Whisky No Age Statement – $159.99
Tasting notes on all these whiskies to come in a future Malt Messenger.

Kensington Wine Market 2014 Whisky Tasting Schedule

Tantalize your taste buds in 2014!

1. Scots Wha Hae – Caledonians Unite! It’s time to celebrate all things Scottish. Duncan Taylor are the featured producers for this 9th annual Robbie Burns Supper, and Peter Currie is our special guest. The first to host the event twice. We’ll have bagpipes, poetry, haggis with neeps and tatties and six amazing whiskies from Duncan Taylor, including some new exclusives to KWM! No previous whisky experience required. Location: Fort Calgary 750 9 Avenue, SE 7:00pm start time. Sat Jan 25 – $99
2. Scotland in 7 Drams – Can you define a country and industry in 7 whiskies? We’ll crisscross the Lowlands, Speyside, Highlands, Islands, Islay and Campbeltown, tasting Scotland in 7 drams. Thr Jan 30 7:00pmb – $40
3. Canada vs. USA: Whisk(e)y Playoffs – Leave your toque or American flag pin at home, all biases will be checked at the door for this blind tasting pitting American and Canadian whiskies against each other… game on! Tue Feb 4 7:00pm – $40
4. Compass Box Whisky Dinner – Join us at Buchanan’s Chophouse 738 3 Avenue SW, for a dinner tasting with Chris Maybin of Compass Box. We’ll be sampling the 10th Anniversary Peat Monster special release, two experimental batches of the Great King Street blend, and more! Tue Feb 4 Start Time 7:00pm – $90
5. Islay: The Whisky Isle – If the Speyside is Scotland’s beating heart, then Islay is its soul! We’ll traverse the isle, sampling some of its finest whiskies. Tue Feb 11 Start Time 7:00pm – $60
6. The Great Macallan Vertical Featuring Macallan ‘M’ – The Macallan 1824 “M” is about to be launched in Alberta. This ultra-premium Macallan has been bottled in a specially designed Lalique Crystal Decanter inspired by the six pillars of the Macallan brand. As soon as we heard about it, we had to open one, so we’ve booked the Southern Alberta Pioneers Hall for a special tasting. We have a grand vertical tasting of Macallans planned, up to and including the “M”. Thr Feb 13, 7PM, $225, 3625 4TH STREET S W – $225
7. Lost In Translation – For nearly 100 years the Japanese have been making whisky in the Scottish style, albeit with their own twist. Their reputation is soaring, as some of their whiskies are among the finest in the world. Tue Feb 18 7:00pm – $40
8. Classic Single Malts – This is our “classic” introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. You’ll discover a little history, how it’s made and sample six distinct styles. Tue Feb 25 Start Time 7:00pm – $30
9. Rare Malts – Only the rarest whiskies, those more than 20 years of age, or from closed distilleries are considered for this very special tasting. Tue Mar 11 Start Time 7:00pm – $80
10. Irish Whiskey Renaissance – The last few years has seen a resurgence of interest in Irish whiskey. During the last two years alone plans for at least 5 new distilleries has been announced. We’ll look at Irish whiskey’s past, present and future while sampling some of its finest whiskies with a glass to Saint Paddy! Mon Mar 17 Start Time 7:00pm – $45
11. Ancient Malts – A tasting so good, we’re doing it twice! We always roll out the big guns for the Ancient Malts tasting, and this one will be no different. We’re opening a bottle of the Glendronach Recherche $4800, the oldest ever bottling of Glendronach. To round out the lineup we’ll sample at least 5 other whiskies between 30 & 40 years old! Register for one or the other! The whiskies will be the same at both tastings. Thr Mar 20 or Fri Mar 21 Start Time 7:00pm – $200
You can register for and view all of our tastings on line at: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php.

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger!

Contact & Disclaimers

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change, don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
Manager & Scotchguy
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

Owner & Opperator
Ferguson’s Whisky Tours
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com

Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000

iAtraco!

(It features a film, followed by a whisky sampling at The Argyle Attic)

Wednesday February 12 at 6:45pm,
At the Odeon 2

Sips ‘N’ Cinema  – Whiskey
This Second installment of the VFF Sips ‘N’ Cinema –  Whisky begins with a screening of Atraco!, followed by a jaunt down to The Argyle Attic to experience charismatic whiskey from around the world.

Sips Located at:
The Argyle Attic – 777 Courtney St, Victoria, BC

BUY TICKETS

NEW MILESTONE IN DIAGEO SCOTCH INVESTMENT WITH PLAN FOR CLYNELISH DISTILLERY EXPANSION

The Relaxed Whisky Weekend
5 – 7 September 2014

Maltstock 2014, a quick update.

Just before we’re heading to Amsterdam’s whisky festival, “Whisky Weekend Amsterdam”. We would like to share some updates with you:

First of all, FOOD:

We are very happy to be able to communicate that we managed to get Scottish Restaurant “Hielander” to serve us Maltstock’s beloved full Scottish breakfast. Secondly we’ve talked about having a food bar serving food most of the hours between breakfast and dinner (we’re not sure yet what kind of food). Did we mention “the Return of the Midnight Snack” already? No? trrrrrrrrrr, be well prepared “it’s back, the midnight snack!!”

About extra activities:

We are very busy arranging fun extra activities, we have some great ideas and will discuss them with people from the Whisky industry. We’ll keep you informed about this matter.

Website:
www.maltstock.com  We redesigned the website completely. Some parts like “history” are still under construction but most of the site runs smoothly and like we had planned. We had some minor bugs in the site and difficulties with the mobile version of the site. We appologize for the inconvenience. We fixed it a.s.a.p.

Now, please have a relaxed look at our brand new website: http://www.maltstock.com and don’t forget buying a ticket while you still can!

Tickets:

People are buying tickets rapidly. If we continue on this way, like the last years tickets are going to be sold out again. We are very happy with all this whisky enthousiasm!!

Maltstock at festivals:

Maltstock will be present at the following festivals:
Whisky Weekend Amsterdam – 17\18\jan\2014 – http://www.whiskyamsterdam.nl/
Hielander whisky festival – 14\15\feb\2014 – http://www.hielanderwhiskyfestival.nl/
Whisky in Leiden – 12\apr\2014 – http://www.whiskyinleiden.nl/
Internationaal malt whisky festival Gent – 8\9\maart – http://whiskyfestival.be/
Whisky festival noord Nederland – 28\29\30\maart – http://www.wfnn.nl/
Spirit of Speyside Whisky festival – 1\2\3\4\5\mei – http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/

See you at one of those great festivals. And we hope to see you at Maltstock 2014 of course!

Annette, Bob, Jeroen, Klaas, Stan and Teun
http://www.maltstock.com

GLEN ORD DISTILLERY GETS ITS NEW STILLS